The present invention concerns a cargo shell, the base of which acts as the parachute can of a sub-munition. It applies notably to shells containing sub-munitions equipped with parachutes and destined to be released by these shells.
Certain shells can contain several sub-munitions stacked one on top of the other. These sub-munitions are generally equipped with a parachute braking their fall towards the ground. Each sub-munition is therefore equipped at the rear with a container or can containing the folded parachute. The sub-munitions ejected from the shell by its rear following the combustion of a chronometrically controlled pyrometric ejection charge at the front of the shell. Even though they are ejected out of the rear of the shell, the sub-munitions nevertheless continue their course along the trajectory of the shell at the time of the ejection. At this moment, the sub-munitions remain stacked as they were in the shell. Having been ejected from the rear, which contributes advantageously to slowing them down, it follows that the base of the shell accompanies them in their flight, still located behind them. In general, before the opening of their parachutes, the sub-munitions must be slowed down. For this purpose, they each possess their own braking means, a small parachute or flexible, laterally deploying flaps, for example. These sub-munitions can be equipped with fragile components, notably sensors, sensitive to mechanical shocks. It is therefore necessary, that the sub-munitions do not collide with each other during the braking phase. In particular the base must be braked more strongly than the sub-munitions so that it doesn't strike them. This makes it necessary to equip it with braking means, more powerful than those of the sub-munitions, which are therefore relatively cumbersome.
In order to increase shells' efficiencies, it is desirable to increase the number of sub-munitions that they contain. The shell dimensions being imposed and standardized, it is necessary to try to optimize their internal layout. In particular, the internal space available is in part reduced by the means of braking the shell's base which can limit the number of sub-munitions contained in it.
The purpose of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages.